As a designer, I am always looking for inspiration in the early stages of a project. Colors, style, textures, fonts, and imagery are where I like to start. Whether I’m designing a logo or website, finding inspiration helps get the creative juices flowing and keep my designs fresh and current.
Now, we’ve all been there before. You get to a certain point during a project where this logo is starting to look like a logo you’ve done before. Or this website layout seems really similar to the last site you did. It could be a similar color palette, style, fonts, or whatever. No matter what the issue is, maybe the solution could be as simple as looking for more inspiration before starting your project.
When I am searching for inspiration, I like to browse through design platforms such as Dribbble, Behance, Pinterest, Coolors, and even typography websites. The variety of design projects that are showcased can spark new ideas and push me out of my comfort zone to try something a little different than normal. I don’t just look for all of my inspiration on the web. Design books can help gain insights into different design styles, principles, and techniques. They also offer pretty pictures of other designers work, just like the internet.
Sometimes, actively searching for inspiration can do more harm than good. Endlessly scrolling and searching for something even though I don’t know what I’m looking for. Get up from the desk and take a quick walk outside. Some of the best design inspiration can come from what’s around you and not related design at all.
Design inspiration can come from anywhere, and everyone has their own way of finding it. These are some of the methods that I’ve found work best for me!
